Aside from creating a literal space for the community to thrive in, reading, in general, acts as a building block of community. Hernandez shares, “for the longest time, especially when we were growing up, reading was seen as something for ‘smart people.’ But now it seems that reading is more of an escape… and that’s why reading is getting more and more popular again… I really want [Búho] to be a space where can get together… and learn from each other’s differences and build upon each other’s common ground.”
When we read, we absorb new information. When we read together, we learn not only from the text but from each other. Reading and community seem to go hand in hand, forming a symbiotic relationship. With more content to learn from, there is more to discuss and more to learn from each other, and so on and so forth.
This is particularly why Hernandez is currently focusing on outreach efforts. He has spoken at St. Mary’s Catholic School and IDEA Sports Park and plans on coordinating with the Brownsville Independent School District (BISD) and local private charter schools to coordinate summer reading programs. Sharing books and the love of books with young children is exactly how the culture around reading will change and will help build a stronger community for the generations to come.
While different books may serve different purposes to varying audiences, Hernandez has a few must-read recommendations. “If I were to suggest a general topic for people to learn more about, it would be the history of Brownsville: [to learn about] both the positive and spicy sides to get a more complete picture,” says Hernandez. For specific books, he recommends his favorite books, which are The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin and How to Win Friends and Influence People, written by Dale Carnegie. Hernandez shares that those two books are the reason why Búho is the way it is, filled with community and a lot of heart.
Búho has yet to host its grand opening but will announce that long-awaited date on their social media channels, which are @buhobtx on both Instagram and Twitter. In the meantime, Búho will continue to host test runs and other events for the community to get a taste of what is to come.